Samsung has previewed the Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo, two new additions to its wearable tech lineup. These smartwatches are updated versions of the Galaxy Gear, which debuted six months ago as Samsung’s premier companion device for its range of flagship mobile products.

The most significant development is that Samsung has opted to replace the Android OS with a Linux-based Tizen OS version. The reason for the transition has not been disclosed, and there are many questions regarding app compatibility for the new smartwatches. Samsung has scheduled for official unveiling of this latest iteration of smart devices at this year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

Enhancements to the second generation smartwatch see both the Gear 2 and Neo fitted with a 1.0 GHz dual core processor and 512 MB of RAM, a step up from the 800 MHz version found in the Gear.

Samsung Gear 2

Notable changes include the re-positioning of the 2.0 megapixel camera to the main body of the device, instead of the strap, with the Neo foregoing one all together. Samsung has detailed Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity that will allow users to sync and play music to a paired device as well as the incorporation of a heart rate sensor and multiple exercise functions.

The new devices will retain the same 1.63” Super AMOLED display and 4 GB of internal storage, but will feature a smaller 300 mAh battery compared to the Gear’s 315 mAh version. This should not cause an issue, according to Samsung, as the new lineup will offer 2-3 days battery life with high activity usage and 6 days for low activity. A further design change is the inclusion of interchangeable straps for both smartwatches.

Samsung Gear 2 Neo

The Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo mark the first product to roll out following Samsung’s Bada OS and Tizen merger in October 2012.

Pricing for the new lineup has not been confirmed yet, and it should prove interesting to see what Samsung’s Tizen partnership will yield.

Correction - 25 February 2014. In the original article we referred to the watches as Galaxy Gear devices. With Tizen onboard the devices do not form part of Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy range. We have taken out all references to Galaxy. Our apologies for the mistake.